Conveying apparatus.



CONVEYING APPARATUS. P PLIOATION FILED MAR. 30, 1905. Bl-ENEWED MAE. 2,1909.

Patented 0011. 5, i90@e e SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TTORNEYS CONVEYING APPARATUS. APPLIOl'lTION FILED MAB.. 30, 1905.BENEWED MAB.' 2, 1909.

Patend o@t."5,19o9.

, e SHEETS-'snm 3.

LGV...

WITNESSES:

ATTORN EYS BSR. ADKINS &'w. Y. LEWIS.

CONVEYING APPARATUS. APPLmA-TION I'ILBD in. 3o, 1905. `MNHWED mn. 2,1909.

- Patented Oort. 5

INVENTORS` B-Y #Wg/"9 ATTORNEYS B. R. ADKINS & W. Y. LEWIS.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.' APPLIOATION FILED MAR'.

1905. BENEWEDMAB. 2, 1909. Patented 0013. 5; 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

INVENTOBS- 9L WM@ l13. R". ADKNs &W. Y. LEWIS.;

' CONVEYING APPARATUS.

Y APPLIUATION PILBIYMMAB:l 30,1905. BBNBWBD MA1z.2',19o9.y 935,631, l IPatented Oct. 5, 1909.

BENJAMI n. AnKINs AND WILLIAM LEWIS; or rLUs-H'IN'G, NEW Yoan.

coNvEYInG 'ArPAnAfrUa Application filed March 30, .1905, Serial No.252,988. Renewed March ..Taall whom it may concern;

Be itkuown that we, BENJAMIN R. AD- nIN's and WILLIAM' Y.LEwIs,1subjects of the' King' ofv '(rreat;v Britain, and residents of.Flushinginsthe county'of Queens, State of New Y.ork,:have inventedcer-tain new and 4as; to begivenuaf variable speed, preferably,

useful Improvements in Conveying-.Apparatus,l.o f which thefollowing isa specification, taken. `in connection with the drawings, 'which form apart. of the same.

'.,This invention relates-to conveying appa-V ratus and especiallyrelates-to apparatus for: conveying passengers oir disconnected inde-Apendent supports which are separately en-- 1 gaged by driving-screws orother, means so startingA slowly withl gradualK acceleration andbeing-frgradually. retarded at the end of! the nun, the intermediate Adistancebeing- 20? traversed atZ high speed.

In, the accompanying drawings in which;

similar1r partsare-.designated bv thesameref-- erencenumeral in:theseveral figures, Fig-V ure. 1; is a diagrammatic elevation of a formo'this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged ele-- vat-ion of, part oi"Lthesame,` Fig. 3 showing; a detail of; this construction.. Fig. 4 isan-v other enlargedtview, While Figs. 5, 6 and 75 show details-onzalargery scale. Fig. 8 is al of a modification. Fig-,9 is an elevation ofthesame. Fig. 10 is av plan of! still another-arrangement. Fig. 11 is adetail of the same.

In-the embodiment of this invention il1us- -trated in Fig. 1, a `seriesof supports or;

' treadsl are employed, each one entirely dis-- connected from theothers and having sep arate engagement with the driving means. Asindicatedlin Figs, 5, G-and 7 these treads may. comprise asuitable'rigid frame 65 to which is secured the set of bars 44 whichamay, if desired, be` of light tubular con-- struction, as indicated.'vThe lower bar 44| isa-rigidly mounted in the tread frame andi carries atits end the guide-roll 14. ThisA ban also= serves .as a pivotal pointabout; which the other bar may move, thel extent; of this: movementbeing linrited byfthe cont'ourof' the depending braces 61`onthe frame;IThis freebar carries suitable supporting rolls 14 at its outer ends.Eachf brace 61 carries atv its lower end the divert-v ing roll'43 andrigid bar 44 carries near eitherend of the same suitable means'forengaging the driving mechanism, a driving- Specification ci'Letters-Patent:y

accompanying Patented-oct. 5, 1909. 21909. Serial No. 480,973.

roll 67 being` indicated in Figs. G and 7 'lllle'tread frame isfurnishedJvith-a suitable flooring or Working -face 35 intermediate itsend and may be provided with a suitable standard'24 havingv a handle 25at the top n necessary relation to those of the adjacent Esupports andwide variations inA speed may vbe'used in the various parts of theapparatus with this unit system of driving.l

As indieated-in'Fig, 1, the driving means ,may be in the form of drivingscrews, the f upper kxrim beingindicated in that figure as provided'with the intermediate screws Q Aand the. terminal screws 1 and 3cooperating therewith,.while the lower run, which is also-the'desc'ending run in this instance, is shown as provided with theintermediate screws 5G andthe terminal screws 52l and 57. These screws`may. obviously be operated in any ,desired way. and the screws 2 mayeach be driven from av pinion 4 which isindicated as engaging: the bevelgear at the lower end ofv the screw 2 which is shown as supported in a.suitable bearingG. The gears 7 and S- may be used to operate the screw 3i and the gearing 9, 10 and l1 may be used ,to drive the screw 1 fromthe screw 2. A Vsimilar driving device may operate the screws of thelower. run from Athe gear 1G, :meshing with the coperating' bevel gear17 to drive the intermediate screw 5G whose lower endris carried in thethrust blockv 15. The gears 18, 19 maybe used to rotate the screw 57 andthe gearing 53, 54, 55 may ,drive the screw 52, as is indicated in thisinstance- As is-seen .in F ig. these driving screws may be suppbrted inproper alinement in any desired way, such as by the usc ofsuitable-roller bearings 50 at the ends ot Ithe screws or atintermediate points, it desired. Suitable intermediate thrust bearingsmay also be used Where desired, as is yindicatedin Fig. 5 and the thrustcollar GQ maybe formed on the screw at any desired Ipoint and be engagedby suitable rolls G3. 64, or by other means to insure the properlongitudinal position of the parts, the thrust collar being interruptedas indicated for the passage of the helical slot therethrough. -Also,where long screws are employed, in-

termediate driving means, such as a gear,

may be used, as is indicated in 5,'where theprojectin'g drive gear 59 isindicated on vthe screw and' as being traversed by the lhelical slot ofthe thread, thi'sgear being show n in engagement with a coperatingdriving pinion, whichis driven through the .bevel gearing 62, 63 'tosuitably drive. the-screw.v

'lfwo duplicate driving niea'nsare preferably employed in every'instance to simultaneously'l engage each support,the two: vscrews bein"right and left-handed, respectively, yso t at in this way 'the lateralthrust due vto any slight `friction or other action .that mayexist'fls'entirelyLneutralized,l this dupli-j cate arrangement beingindicated in Fig. 8, forins'tanceL f iAt 'the' ends 'of the. upper 'andlower 4runs suitable reversers are used to receive the supports astheycease' engagement with onelset of driving means a'nd,bring 'theminto pos- .tion ,togengage with' thedriving means of the other run; Therotary formof reverser indicated in Figs. 1,2, 3 and 4 may be employed'.This .reverser ,30 comprises a 'pair of large wheels secured tothecentralshaft 21 and revolved-.in lunison witlrthe 'screws through the`driving pinion 40.` Each of I these wheels 'carries-'a series ot yokes31 i which are provided with-cranks 33 rigidly connected therewith andcarrying attheir outer ends the laxial roll 38' mounted in the.

swiveling bracket 39 so as always to engage a fixed cam track 13 againstwhich the rolls are forced by suitable springs '37.' :As the.

treads move toward' theends of the screws 57 they are: engaged by the.yokes on either side of themwhi'ch. are moving at substan muy intheouter ends of. the treads, preferably in 'f the rigid rod 44 and .inthe projecting boss 29 which is also rigid with-the tread. The reverserwhich is operated accuratelyin unison witlrthe-screws by any desiredmeans thus picks up the tread at the proper time and as v1t 4continuestorotate the tread is carriedv thereby and maintained in parallel positionas indicated, a featheri-ng eccentric 27 being provided to the strap ofwhich are securedthe links22, these links 'being'engaged lat n theirinner ends by the pins 32 and their ,outer ends 34 engaging a suitable'pin in the cranks 33. By-fthis meansthe treads, are

transferred between the conveyer runs. A similar arrangement is employedat the other end of theappa-ratus, as isindicated in Fig. 4, thereverser 45 in this instance being rigidly mounted upon the shaftf20 andcarrying the yokes 42 at suitable. intervals. These yokes are `given thesame featheringjaction as has been described by means of the eccen-Ytric 26 and the links 23 vsecured to this eccentric and to' thecranks49 of the yokes. The-yokes are forced inward. at the properthesameratel These yokes are 4forced r lfn'ward by the cam actiondescribed .andthe pins 36 on the yokes engage suitable recesses a numberof startin time the cam'track 12 which forces in-. ward the camprollers48 so that suitable pins.

on the yokes engage depressions inthe boss the' treads, carry themaround in proper pogaged `the screws 52.' As .isv indicated byintermediate screw ofthe upper'runof this conveying apparatus is theascending one,

the arrowsin Fig. l

..29 and the end of the rod 44 so as to support A "sition. and releasethem after they have en-` and passengers may step uponthe suppoits or`treads where theyare in close engagement at the low level. l.This is thestartingY sta? tion andthetreads are brought'close tof -gether at 'thispoint by the proper spacing of the. screw threads in driving screwsj sovwhich, asis indicated, serve to rapidly bring forward the treads afterthey are delivered l" from the reverser. Then by a more close spacing ofthescr'ew threads thesetreadsare brought into contact so as toform'acontinu'f ou's support. at 'this starting stationand also' in ordent-hatthe treads may propel one ani other jiistliatfthe point where they passfrom l I engagement with the screws 3 to the lscrewsv9o .2.Theth-reads ,on thescrews 2 are preferably arranged so 4t-hat themovement o f each treadv is. gradually accelerated'from the low speedwhich they possessed at the starting station to the. desired high speedwhichjis `preferably lm'aintainedl; through the centralv part of thisrun. Thereafter the"threadsof' Y' decreasingthe pitch so as to cause agradual retardation at -the end ofthe run.. The

-treads lare brought into contact vand maybe L.used to propel oneanother atn the` point where they pass from engagement with the thescrew are gradually brought together by ifio maybe located atpointsalong a single run; Y

the `pitch of the screws being correspondingl-y varied so as to give thesupports av -slow speed at any intermediate lan mg stal 'tion.. Thearrangement and spacing ofthe threads onl the driving screws ofthe lowerrun Aof `this apparatus is similar to what has been described, and itwill be, noted that by yemploying"reversers to transfer the treads fromone run. to. another that the treads are 4 delivered to the descendingrun in position to be usedbyv descending passengers, the up- `persurfaces of the treads being substantially level in both'instances. Thetreads are supported and guided during their motion by the rollsll4which engage the guide track 28, see Figs. 4 and 5. When the treads aremoving straight alo'ng the inclined portion of a run the free guide-rollcan take its share of the weight ofthe tread, since at this time it moveupward so that the corresponding bar comes intok i ment .with the treadframes Suitable diverting tracks 58 are preferably employed at the turnsWhere the inclined screws meet the horizontal screws, and, if desired,these supplemental. or diverting 'tracks may be conf tinu'ous throughoutthe entire run. As in-` dicated in Figs. and 6 the diverting rolls I 1iacings 165 and 166, see Fig. 6 which ccnl `any of these conveyers,

fine the passengers to the working face of the tread. These side piecesare, of course, interrupted atthe starting and landing stations tovallow for'the ready entrance and egress of passengers. A suitablestationary facing 93 is also preferably provided closely adjacentthetreads on the inclined portions of the runs, although such anarrangement may in some cases also be used in Ahorizontal runs ofapparatus of this character. c Another arrangement ofapparatus isindicated in Figs. 8 and 9. In this instance, the two runs of theconveyer are arranged side by side4 upon-substantially the saine. levelwhich is desirable in some cases. In

the ascending run of the apparatus, thetreads are operated by the right.and lefthanded screws, 72, 73 whichmay besubstan tially level. Thetre'ds may then engage with intermediate screws of suitable inclinationand the horizontal screws 68, 69, may be employed at the landingstation. Suitable shunting shields may be employed on such shields beingindicated in dotted lines at 151 and being preferably composed of twoinclined mem bers placed at 'an angle on the two sides of the conveyerrun and preferably having a projecting point 154 adjacent the center ofthe run. A suitable slot `152 is provided in these shields toaccommodate the standards 24 and a suitable enlargement 153 of thisslotallows the handles or other engaging means Q5 to pass throughV theshield. .A

similar shield 151 may 'be arranged a't the starting station toguide'the passengers to some extent in getting on the supports. The

reverser 76 employed in this instance com.

prises a .substantially horizontal Wheel or frame driven by suitablegearing in unison with the driving screws and this frame carsolidengagep position by a feathering device, links be'- which remains inengagement' ries a Series ofciadles or yokes 8O which are raised at theproper timev by a cani track 81 so as to come'under and suitablysupportthe treads. These cradles are kept in parallel ing employed toconnect these cranked cradles.with an eccentric so that the treads arein this manner delivered to the descending run ofthe conveyer in' properposition` as indicated inl Figs. 8 and 9. The descending runcompriseslthe screws 70, -71 which as indicated are of `variable pitch,'gradually bringing up the treads into close engagement so as to form asubstantially continuous support and thereafter" these treads which areguidedrby suitable channels or guides S3, are-brought into engagementwith the screws 91, 92, which, as indicated, lhave a variable pitchsogas to cause a gradual acceleration of the movement of each tread andthereafter a suitable retardation, as has been dcscribed. Itis, ofcourse, understood that the degree of inclination of the intermediate ori other portions ot the conveyor may be'varied as desired; and, indeed,1n some cases thc entire apparatus may be on substantially one level,forming practically a horizontal railwayor conveyer of'any length, thedriving means being 'composed in such a case of any .desired number ofscrew sections for convcnienceof operation, and in such cases the ireversers do not necessarily have a v'feather ing action as the supportsmay be symmetricaL At the end of the'descending run the screws 74, 75engage and operate thetreads and deliver them to the reverser 77 bywhich they are transferred in parallel position to the ascending run ofthe apparatus.

lf desired, this apparatus may be used in a vertical or substantiallyvertical position,

as indicated in Fig. 10, and in such case any desired number of drivingscrews 101 may.

be used in connection with each run of thc conveyer.

As indicated these screws are provided with 'threads 114e ofvaryingpitch so that preferably a uniform acceleration and retardation takesplace at the two `ends or at other points of the run adjacent thestarting and landing stations, while the intermediate portion of the runis preferably made at uniform high speed. The lower portion4 102 ofthese screws is mounted in a suitable step bearing and may be driventhrough the bevel gear 103 which is engaged by the pinion 194. A similarpinion 105 may operate the shaft 107 vcarrying' the pinion 106 andmeshing with the gear 128 to drive .the corresponding screw. verserwheel is mounted upon the shaft 110 which also carries the worm wheel109 engaged and driven by the worm 108 so that the reverser and screwsare accurately driven in unison. This reverser is provided with a seriesofvgrips 112 which may be in the ferm of pivoted jaws indicated, in Fig.11,

In this instance, the re-` l it being supported suitable pin 120.. The

links` '122 'secured to the pins 121 in the jaws and to the p in 123 atthe end of the rod 124' serve to 'open and close' these jaws."-'1.`he`spring 127 acting on the head 125 and serving to normally `open thesejaws into the position reversers to transfer'said supports betweenindicated in. dotted lines wliilethe roll 126 operates when it engagesthe fixed cam 113.

.to force the links. outward and to hold the.

jaws in closed position so that they' engage .and firmly support thetruiinions 115 offthe supports or cars. As indicated these supportsmaybe substantially inclosed, as is usual in vertical elevators orlifts, and: may

be provided with suitable wheels or'other guiding means 117 which mayengage the 'usual vertical guides 118, these guides, 'of

course, remaining at the ends of the verticalruns at which time thegrips come in'to alinenient with the ti'unnions are forcedin'toengagenient therewith and hold the supports' orcars 116 iiisuspended position while they are carried from one run to another. Asimilar reverser is, of course, employed at the upper end of thelapparatus. y

I t is, of course, understood that those familiar with this art may makemany modifications in -the form, size proportion and" numbers of partsof thisapparatus, parts of the saine may be used withouteniploying thewhole and maybe used in connection with other devices in other ways andfonother purposes than specified without departing from the spirit ofthis invention or losing the advantages of the same. v7e

'do not, therefore, desire 4to be limited tothe details of thedisclosure which has becnniadein this case, but

IVh'at we claim as new and desiie to secure by Letters Patent is setforth in the appended' claims. v A 1. In conveying apparatus,.aseiiesofdisconnected supports, guides for said sup-A ports forming aplurality of conveyer runs having inclined portions, driving screwsofvariable pitch cooperating with said runs' -to engage and independentlydrive e'ach of said supports at variable speed vat the* different partsof said runs and'reversers to transfer said treads from. one run'to'anotherf' in substantially paralleLposition; j

2. In conveying apparatus, a series ofsupports, guides for said supportsforming'va-.- rious runs, including inclined'portioi'is, screws havingvariable pitch threads cooperating with said runs and engaging-saidsupports and independently driving 4each of said su-p. ports atdifferent speeds at the" various parts 'of said runs andreverserstotraiisfer lsaid supports from one run to another.

3. In conveying apparatus, a series of disconnected supports, guides forsaid supports to form a conveyer run having an inclined portion, screwsof variable pitch cooperating with said guides to `engage andindependently drive each of said treads at variable speed and means 'totransfer said supports from one end of said run to the other.

connected supports, guides -for saidsupports forming runs having,inclinedV portions and supports in substantially Lparallel position;

ports, guides for said supports forming vconv'veyer -runs havinginclined portions, driving means for-.said supports and rotary reversersto transfer said supports between `said runs and maintain said supportsin .substantially -pai'allel position.

7. In conveyingapparat-us, a series of sup ports, guiding anddrivingmeans for said rotary reverser-S to transfer said supports between 'saidruns, said 'reversers having movableholding means for said supports to'maintain them in substantially parallel-position.'

8. I n conveying'apparatus, a series of sup- "ports,l guidingand-drivingmeans for said support-s to forni Aa'plurality of runs. and.`1otaiy`"1'eversers to transfer' said supports pivoted holding meansprovidedwi-tli cranks and eccentrically supported links connected withsaid cranks to maintain said holding 'means in substantially parallelposition.

9. In conveying apparatus, a Iseries of support-s, .guides for saidsupports forming a `plurality of runs, driving #means engaging 4said-?.supportsfA and .independently driving them at variable speed andreversers operated" in' A unison with said driving means to transfer'saidA supports'between` said runs. `10. In conveying apparatus, aseries of sup- "ports, guidesfor said supports to form a plurality ofruns,c lriving means engaging and independently driving each of saidsupports at variable speed between'the'starting and landing stations ofsaid runs, saidsupports being'brought close together at said startingand landing stations, reversers operated Vin unison Wit-h saiddrivingfmeans to transfer saidsupports between said runs, l said drivingmeans separating saidv supports adjacent the ends of said-runs. 11. In.conveying apparatus, a series ot supports,l guiding means for saidsupports,a plurality of screwsl engaging and driving said supports andhaving their. adjacent ends out of line, saidsupports engaging anddrivsaid ijeversers Areceivingand delivering said 6., Infconveyingapparatus, a series of sup-1v .4'. In conveying apparatus, a series 'ofdisf' supports forming a :pluralitylof runs and betweenA said runs, saidreversers comprising los screws bringing said supports into substan-Vscrew to engage and operate a support, a

ing one another when disengaged trom said screws.

12. In conveying apparatus, a series ot disconnected supports, guidesfor said supports, a plurality of driving screws engaging said supportsand forming an angle to each other, said supports engaging and drivingone another when disengaged from said screws.

13. In conveying apparatus, `a series 'ot supports, guides for saidsupports, a plurality of drivingscrews ot variable pitch successivelyengaging said supports, said supports being brought into substantialengagement adjacent the ends of said screws and driving one another whendisengaged from said screws.

14. In conveying apparatus. aseries of disconnected supports, guides forsaid snpports, a plurality of drive screws of variable pitch mounted atan angle to each other and successively engaging said supports, saidtial engagement adjacent the ends of said screws and said supportsdriving one another when disengaged from said screws.

l5. In conveying apparatus, a series ot disconnected supports, guidingand driving means for said supports forming a plurality of eonveyerruns, revel-sers operated in unison with said driving means to engagethe lateral portions of said supports and transfer said supports between.said runs.

16. In vconveying apparatus, a driving protruding interrupted thrustcollar on said screw and a plurality of rolls engaging said th rust'collar. i

1T. In conveying apparatus, a driving screw to operate a support, aprotruding thrust collar on said screw, said thrust collar beinginterrupted by the helical slot of said means in engagement havingconsiderable axial length mounted on said screw. said driving meansbeingl inter rupted by the helical slot of said screw.

Q0. In conveying apparatus, a series of supports, guiding and drivingmeans engaging the lateral portions of said supports to independentlydrive each of said supports at variablespeedand forming a conveyer runhaving an inclined portion, a horizontal working tace on each of saidsupports intermediate its ends, stationary side pieces cooperating withsaid supports on either side of said working faces and a stationary inclined facing beneath said supports and in close contact therewith.

21. In conveying apparatus, a series of independent supports, guidingand driving means to engage and independently drive each of saidsupports at variable speed and a stationary facing adjacent saidsupports and in close Contact therewith.

`22. In conveying apparatus, a series of supports, guiding and drivingmeans to engageand drive saidv supports in separated position, and astationary continuous facing adjacent said supports and in close contacttherewith.

BENJAMIN It. AIUNS. IILLIAM Y. LEIVIS.

Vitnesses:

HARRY L. DUNc'Av,l JEssIE B. KAY.

